Becoming Slyffindor: A Generic Love Story
by Kaheira
Summary: A story in which Hermione finds her voice through her association with the last person she expected.
1. And Then She Shot Huge Bogey's At Me

Becoming Slyffindor: A Generic Love Story

Chapter One: And Then She Shot Huge Bogey's At Me

Just a little disclaimer so you don't sue me.

I can honestly say this was the exact opposite of what I was expecting this year to be. My first thought about seventh year was the possibility that it would be quite dull. Harry and Ron hadn't contacted me all summer, and Ginny had sent me one letter, probably out of pity. After my initial anger at this, I had decided that I wouldn't let their abandonment ruin my year. So I decided that I would give Hogwarts a year to remember.

I was sick of doing everything by the book, being totally predictable 'Mione all the time. I wanted some mischief. I wanted some crazy times. I wanted something I could be remembered for other than that girl with the best marks, or the prestigious Head Girl with no sense of fun. No, I was tired of that. So tired. So I resolved to do something that would have me remembered as the girl that did the unthinkable. But I wasn't sure what that was yet.

* * *

I entered King's Cross Station alone but with my head held high. I tried to smile, or at least hide that I was upset, but I'm a terrible actress, and an even worse liar. Ginny Weasely approached me slowly, looking at the ground. I walked towards her, internally going over what I was going to say. Ginny looked up and the sheepish smile I expected was not there. Her eyes were fiery.

"Why the hell didn't you get back to me?" she seethed.

I was taken aback by the anger, but recovered quickly. Who was she to be angry with me? I had done nothing wrong.

"Why would I want to Ginny? I don't want to be pitied." I replied calmly. I started to walk towards the train.

Ginny looked at me incredulously before making a furious hiss sounding noise and following me. She grabbed my shoulder roughly and said, "I'm not finished!"

I turned around. "I don't care Ginny, I am. I've had a terrible two months okay? I've no contact with the wizarding world. You have no idea how frustrating it is to talk to Muggles all time who have no idea we just recovered from a war. I have had no one to celebrate with and no one to mourn with. And my three best friends, that's you included Ginny, chose to ignore me all summer." I paused briefly and pressed my lips together for a moment. "So if you'll excuse me Ginny, I'll take my leave."

There was silence. I started to walk towards the train once again but I heard a small voice say, "You didn't get the second letter did you?" I turned to see Ginny crying and she walked off quickly.

At first I was sure that she was simply upset because I had stood up to her, in fact I tried to convince myself that this was the case. But my intuition was screaming that something was very very wrong.

I boarded the train and put my bag on the luggage rack in the Head's compartment before searching the Express for Ginny. It was a very long process as the train's many cars were full and all quite loud. I saw a few of Ginny's friends but the volume made it impossible to flag them down to ask about her whereabouts. After nearly forty five minutes, I hadn't seen even a flash of her telltale red hair.

Feeling defeated, I slowly made my way back towards the Head's Compartment dodging around a large group second year boys.

"...and then she shot huge bogey's at me!"

I spun quickly. "Who said that?" The group of second years went deathly quiet. A taller boy with brown hair and freckles raised a quivering hand.

"Who shot bogey's at you?" I asked urgently. The boy paused for a moment, and then mumbled,

"Oh...well...it's really....I don't want her ....get in trouble...she seemed sad...it's okay."

Even in my urgency I admired the boy's wish not to snitch. My look softened and the boy relaxed.

"This girl had red hair right?" The boy nodded.

"Where is she I asked? I'm her friend." The boy nodded again understanding that I only wanted to comfort her.

"She's hiding at the back of the luggage car." he said, "I heard something back there so I looked in and saw her. I told her that what she was doing was dangerous. And then she hexed me."

"Thank you." I said and walked quickly towards the back of the train.

As I got closer, I saw a cluster of about ten students craning their necks to look inside the luggage car. I suddenly became aware of that second year's words; the huge amount of bags jammed into such a small place was very hazardous. I broke into a run.

When I finally reached the door, I shoved through the group, knocking over a blonde girl. I jerked the slightly ajar door open violently.

The luggage car was dark and ridiculously packed. I saw a large pile in the corner which appeared to have fallen over, with what looked like a small hand coming out from under it. My stomach heaved as I walked over.

"Ginny?" I whispered fearfully.

From the other side of the compartment I heard a loud "Yeah?"

Relief rushed into my system. I carefully made my way through the towers of baggage towards the sound. I looked down at Ginny and offered her my hand. She took it and I pulled her to her feet.

"What were you thinking?" I whispered angrily. "It's not safe back here." I lead her out the door and the crowd quickly disbanded.

I sat Ginny down in the nearest available empty compartment. She hadn't said anything but she didn't appear upset or angry.

I began to ask Ginny about the second letter she had sent me, and why it had made her so upset, when it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't seen Harry or Ron. I had searched every compartment. Every single one. They weren't on the train. I suddenly felt sick all over again.

"Ginny, where are Harry and Ron?" Her eyes filled with tears again.

"Oh. My. God. What happened to them?"


	2. The Boy Who Just Wouldn't Die

**Becoming Slyffindor:" A Generic Love Story**

**The Boy-Who-Just-Wouldn't-Die**

AN: Just to let you know, this is a complete rewrite of a story I have already written. Since I wrote said story years ago, it was awful. But I liked the story line, so I deleted it and started again.

Disclaimer: You know I'm not JK.

"I don't know. They just disappeared. We figured it had to be something important, but when they weren't back for a week we started asking around. No one at the Ministry knew anything, and none of Dad's friends. And Dumbledore said...he said..." Ginny cried harder and started gasping. Her words were coming out muffled bouts of hysteria. I hugged her tightly waiting for her to calm down. Slowly, her breathing became more regular and she resumed her story.

"Professor Dumbledore said that due to the nature of their disappearance, it is unlikely they went of their own free will."

I was speechless. I sat on the soft cushioning of the compartment benches holding on to Ginny, my face in what I'm sure was a dumbstruck expression.

"What are we going to do?" Ginny asked. She wiped away a few tears.

I replied in a robotic fashion. I don't remember what I said to her. I stood up and walked out, leaving Ginny alone.

I shut the door behind me, and leaned against it as I tried to breathe. I told myself there was no sense in crying, but the water was starting to pool in the corners of my eyes anyway. I attempted to convince myself that the boys could have left voluntarily for any number of reasons, but their faces kept swimming into my head saying things like "Why aren't you helping us?".

I saw Harry's messy hair tattered and smeared with blood. His glasses broken and his eyes blackened with brutal bruises. He looked down, defeated. And beside him Ron-

Tears starting falling down my face. I couldn't bear it if something had happened to them. Harry was like my brother and Ron...Ron...I needed a distraction.

I wiped a few tears away and walked along the hallways of the train with purpose. I told off anyone I could. I confiscated every toy bought at Weasley's Wizarding Weazes. I reduced a girl to tears when I told her she was breathing too loudly. Eventually all was quiet. No one dared move, terrified of my tirade. I finally ended up in the Head's compartment alone. I brought my legs up to my chest and buried my face in them.

Why now? I asked myself. The war was over. All Voldemort's supporters had been captured and imprisoned. There was no reason for anyone to want either of them.

Suddenly, the compartment door was flung open. I looked up quickly, alarmed. Professor McGonagall was looking back at me, equally alarmed and closely followed by Draco Malfoy.

A brief thought flitted through my head, wondering how he had gotten in enough to trouble to have to report to McGonagall.

"Oh Miss Granger. You gave me such a fright. You are early my dear."

The Head's Meeting. I had forgotten.

"Oh. Well, I guess we'll get the meeting started." I said quietly. "When the Head Boy gets here of course."

"I'm right here, Granger." Malfoy drawled. His arms were crossed and he wore a bored expression.

I looked at Professor McGonagall. The question to ask if this was true, which had been quite well formed in my head, came out in a jumbled mess. "Is he, I mean, Malfoy, the one, he is?"

Despite the delivery of my query, McGonagall seemed to understand. She nodded once.

And that was when I blew up. All the explosive anger at my terrible summer alone, and my ignorance towards the plight of the boys I liked best in the world came roaring out of my mouth.

"Why in God's name have you made that stupid prat Head Boy? He shouldn't even be a prefect! He doesn't care about the honour of it, about the job he has to do! He cares about getting a bigger bloody room alone so he can drink all the time and bring girls back to shag! The Head Boy is supposed to be mature and encourage students to follow the rules! He has to be unprejudiced against all! You think a former DEATH EATER is going to use unbiased judgment? He was certainly unbiased against Dumbledore when he was about to kill him wasn't he? WASN'T HE?"

The compartment was silent. I looked up at the stony faced Malfoy and was suddenly filed with shame. I shifted my eyes to McGonagall who looked surprised but also quite angry.

"Miss Granger! I should think you would know better than to judge a fellow prefect. You two were hand picked by Professor Dumbledore-that's right Miss Granger, by Professor Dumbledore," she said after seeing my incredulous face. "He believes Mr. Malfoy is adequate, so I suggest you do the same. I will continue this meeting at Hogwarts. Miss Granger, take some time to clear your head." And with that, she left, her robes swaying in an almost Snape like manner.

"Goddammit." I whispered to myself. I looked up at Malfoy about to apologize, when he suddenly left without a word. That suited me fine. I meant every word I said. I pulled my knees back up to my chest and swayed slightly for the rest of the trip.

* * *

When the train finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station, I slowly exited alone. I knew Ginny would be looking for me, but I really just wanted to be by my self for a while. I boarded one of the Thestral pulled carriages, marveling slightly about how ugly they were. And then I clued in that I could see them. I didn't want to think about that.

I closed the carriage door and hoped that no one would join me. This hope was useless and I knew it. But what I didn't expect was to be sharing with Draco Malfoy.

"Get out," I snarled as he entered the carriage.

He looked at me with a bored expression. "No, Granger. Because there are some things you need to understand." Malfoy's mouth turned into a thin line seeing my face was fixed in an angry fashion.

"First off," Malfoy began, "If I want to drink and shag girls, that is my business, not yours. But for your information, I don't drink every night into a stupor and the only girl I will be shagging is my girlfriend. You said I shouldn't be a prefect. My marks are adequate, only rivaled by yours in fact. And despite what you think, I do a fairly good job. But I am biased, as you said. I do make things harder on people in your house. And the Hufflepuffs." He shuddered. "But that is House rivalry and has nothing to do with the time I spent in service of the Dark Lord. And that is another thing that is clearly none of your business, but I will explain anyway." He paused briefly as if waiting for me to say something. I stayed silent and he smirked.

"I was with the Dark Lord for one reason. That reason being that the task appointed to me was a punishment for my father's failures and with the pressure from both my father and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, I had absolutely no choice in the matter. If I had resisted, I would have been killed. And that is when I pulled a wand on Dumbledore. When I had absolutely no choice."

"You had a choice." I said with a strong voice.

Malfoy looked at me, surprised. "I just said that-"

"You said you would have been killed. That is still a choice."

"Yes Granger, I suppose it is. Would you have chosen it?"

"Yes." I said.

Malfoy looked at me with something I couldn't place, but if I had to guess it was close to admiration. "Truly?"

"Without a shadow of a doubt." I replied.

"It'll be that Gryffindor courage." he said smirking.

"That's not it at all! It's about right and wrong! You just don't kill the greatest wizard to ever-"

"Granger, I'm going to say this very clearly so you'll understand. I get what you are saying. But the morality of men is often bent by fear, and you have to know that I am not a courageous man. I was very afraid during the time of the war, and that is just the way it is. I am not immoral. I have a moral compass, fear just tends to sway it at times like everyone. But for our points and purposes this year, it is more than adequate to keep students in order."

I stayed silent and Malfoy sighed. "Well that's all I have to say Granger." he added feebly.

We sat in silence for the rest of the trip to the castle. I was amazed that it wasn't awkward. Kind of like sitting with a fairly well known acquaintance. When we got to the castle, Malfoy stood and opened the carriage door quickly.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. I thought that he hadn't heard me, but Malfoy paused and turned slightly in my direction. He nodded once and continued on.

I stood up and slowly followed him my thoughts circling a million miles an hour. Why did he bother explaining anything to me? He's right, it clearly isn't my business. He has such a superior attitude most of the time. Why did he feel that my opinion mattered enough to justify his actions? Maybe the time he spent terrified for his own life has broken his disposition.

I entered the Great Hall alone and immediately regretted it. Not only did everyone look at me with pity and confusion, they weren't quiet about it. Everyone was whispering. My face coloured slightly and I tried to maintain my dignity. But walking past the Slytherin table was too much too bear.

"This is what you get for being a Mudblood. No friends!"

"Hey Mudblood, where's the Golden Boy?"

"Did the Boy-Who-Just-Wouldn't-Die finally croak?"

Normally I would have ignored them and not let their taunts ruin my day. But the mention of Harry sent me over the edge again. My best friend and the boy I had fallen for were missing, and I had had no idea until five hours ago. What a fantastic friend I was.

I ran, not sure where to go. I stumbled around the castle finally stopping in front of the tapestry next to the Room of Requirement. I walked past the door three times thinking that I need a place to be alone. I opened the door and ran into the dark hole that the room had become.

At first I simply tried to calm my heavy breathing. But then I heard something or someone trying to do the same. Terrified, I grabbed my wand. "Lumos!"

In the dark corner of the room was Draco Malfoy, crying. "Get the hell out of here Mudblood!"

I didn't need to be told twice. Seeing Malfoy cry was unsettling at best.

I pulled on the door handle. It didn't budge. I pushed. Nothing.

"I told you to get out, Granger!" Malfoy snarled.

"I-I can't open it." I said. "It's locked from the outside."

Malfoy's eyes widened for a moment before roughly pushing me out of the way. He pulled and pushed the door with all his strength, said "Alohamora" and then tried again. Nothing happened. Malfoy looked as if he was about to explode.

And then my expression turned from mild annoyance to horror. The walls were moving. Slowly, but you could definitely tell.

The room was shrinking. And unless we could figure a way out, at some point the walls would probably crush us to death.

I began to panic. Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, we were going to die! I mentally slapped myself. I took some deep breaths and tried to gather my thoughts. Once I had calmed slightly, I was convinced I could get us out some how. I was the Brightest Witch of the Age.

I could do this.


End file.
